URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/news/pmwen01-15-02.htm

January 15, 2002

Wen Ho Lee Signs Books in Santa Fe

By Richard Benke The Associated Press

SANTA FE -- Wen Ho Lee used to criticize Paul Maes for his choice of books to read.

Maes, a lieutenant at the Santa Fe County jail, was Lee's jailer during part of the nine months that the former Los Alamos National Laboratory

scientist was held there during the government's prosecution of him for allegedly mishandling nuclear weapons data.

"To me, he was a very gentle person, a lot of fun to speak with," Maes said Tuesday night at a Santa Fe bookstore where he bought a book he

hoped Lee would approve of -- Lee's own book, "My Country Versus Me."

Retired scientists, co-workers from the lab and his daughter's fifth-grade teacher also were among the 200 people who showed up at Borders

bookstore in Santa Fe for Lee's book signing for his memoir published by Hyperion and co-authored by Helen Zia.

Lee, wearing a black jacket over a dress shirt and tie, was gracious and personable with all those who attended the signing. Reporters present were

not allowed to ask him questions.

"This is the first day (of the book tour)," said Nancy Hollander, one of Lee's attorneys, who stood by to give legal advice if needed. "He's up for it.

He's never done this before."

Maes had not seen Lee since his release from jail Sept. 13, 2000, after the former spy suspect pleaded guilty to a single count of downloading

sensitive material and was set free.

"He has a great sense of humor, but he was beside himself with what was happening," Maes said of the time he spent with Lee in the jail.

When told that the jail would be housing Lee, who had been branded a spy suspect, Maes said he remarked "We're getting a what?"

Lee "loved to read. He loved to write. He always said to me, ¹You shouldn't be reading books like that.'" Asked what kind of books, Maes

answered, "very fiction."

"We talked a lot about fishing," Maes said, adding that Lee favors the San Juan River in northern New Mexico.

Maes' duties included inspecting Lee's food and spending up to 12 hours a day with him in Pod A at the jail. During that time, Maes offered to help

Lee, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Taiwan, learn Spanish. Lee was interested about words for different foods.

"We used to joke around that he would help me landscape my back yard," Maes said.

Also in line at the book signing was Jo Starling, who taught Lee's daughter, Alberta, in the fifth grade.

"I think it was great. Obviously there are many people here who support Wen Ho. I still think he got a raw deal and I am so glad he's home,"

Starling said.

George Baldwin, a physicist who worked at the lab from 1977 to 1987, said he was glad to see Lee free and signing his books, one of which

Baldwin had bought at the store. He waited in line about an hour. "I thought it was extremely unfortunate and it went on far too long," he said.

Ralph Stevens, another retired physicist at the lab, said he and Lee had been friends for a long time. "I'm just glad to see this book being written."

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